Which of the following is an example of a monosaccharide?

A monosaccharide is the simplest form of carbohydrate and consists of a single sugar unit. This means that it cannot be hydrolyzed into a simpler sugar. Both galactose and glucose are examples of monosaccharides. Galactose, like glucose, is a simple sugar that plays important roles in metabolism and energy production.

In contrast, maltose is a disaccharide, which means it is composed of two monosaccharide units linked together. It is formed from two glucose molecules and requires hydrolysis to break this bond into its constituent monosaccharides.

Starch is a polysaccharide, made up of long chains of glucose units. It serves as a storage form of energy in plants and is much more complex than a monosaccharide.

Glucose is the quintessential example of a monosaccharide, which is not only a primary form of sugar utilized for energy in living organisms but also serves as a building block for more complex carbohydrates. Therefore, glucose is indeed an example of a monosaccharide, aligning with the characteristics that define this group of carbohydrates.